College football notebook: Pac-12 network starts next year

The Pacific 12 Conference will launch national and regional television networks next year.

The Pacific 12 Conference will launch national and regional television networks next year.

Commissioner Larry Scott announced yesterday at an East Coast football media day in New York that the Pac-12 had partnered with cable companies Comcast, Cox, Time Warner and Bright House. There will be a national network along with six regional channels: Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Southern California, Arizona and Mountain.

Once the network launches in August 2012, it will broadcast about 850 sporting events a year - 350 nationally and 500 regionally. Subscribers will also be able to watch games on mobile devices.

Every football and men's basketball game will be televised nationally. The conference already had a 12-year television contract worth about $3 billion with Fox and ESPN, which will air many of the high-profile games.

No more blue for Boise

Boise State players will no longer sport their all-blue uniforms for conference games on Bronco Stadium's iconic blue turf, the result of a concession school officials say they made last year as part of the team's entrance into the Mountain West Conference.

Commissioner Craig Thompson said on Tuesday during the conference meeting that coaches believe Boise State gets a competitive edge when its players wear blue helmets, jerseys and pants at home.

The Broncos have worn all blue at home for several years and built a 77-2 record and a 32-game winning streak on their home field since 1999.

Coach Chris Petersen said his team intends to wear the all-blue uniforms for nonconference games against Tulsa and Nevada, but he finds the restriction for league games silly and an erosion of the team's identity.

"It's a tragedy of college football," Petersen said. "I thought it was ridiculous. That's our colors. That's who we are. That's who our fans have wanted us to be since I've been at Boise State."

Indiana lands top QB

Reports say top-ranked high-school quarterback Gunner Kiel has committed to play at Indiana for new coach Kevin Wilson.